Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. is calling on the public to help locate the families of 91 mentally-challenged individuals currently under the care of the city government. These individuals are part of the Integrated Mental Health Program, which the mayor initiated in 2019 to provide safety, care, and medical treatment for those who are lost or abandoned in the city.
Mayor Lazatin emphasized that many of these individuals are not originally from Angeles City, with most coming from neighboring areas. They have been found wandering the streets, neglected, or left behind, and the city government has taken them in for care. However, the mayor is now seeking assistance from the public in finding their relatives or acquaintances who may be searching for them.
According to records from the Gender and Development Office (GAD) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), 78 of these individuals are currently housed at the Shelter of Goodwill Health Services in Magalang, Pampanga, while 13 are at the St. Claire Psychiatric Homecare in Bacolor, Pampanga. Mayor Lazatin is urging anyone who may have lost a relative or acquaintance to contact the GAD or CSWDO for assistance in locating these individuals.
Out of the 208 mentally-challenged individuals that have been cared for under the program, 109 have already been reunited with their families, thanks to the efforts of the CSWDO. Unfortunately, eight individuals who had no known relatives have been buried by the city in the public cemetery in Barangay Around, Angeles City, after no one came forward to claim their bodies.
The mayor’s initiative, which started in 2019, provides free medical treatment for mentally-challenged individuals and ensures their safety while efforts to locate their families continue. Through this program, many lives have been improved, and families have been reunited, but Mayor Lazatin is calling on the public’s continued help to ensure that more individuals can return home.
For those who may recognize any of the individuals or have information regarding their whereabouts, the mayor urges you to contact the GAD or CSWDO at 0935-211-7513. The city government is committed to reuniting these individuals with their families and giving them the care they deserve.
Mayor Lazatin expressed his sincere hope that through collective efforts, all of these individuals will be brought back to their families and communities. The city government remains dedicated to providing assistance to those in need and ensuring their well-being.
Source: Angeles City Information Office
